Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Murder Charge Likely In Missing-Girl Investigation (Danielle van Dam)
Union Tribune ^ | February 25, 2002 | J. Harry Jones

Posted on 02/25/2002 7:35:42 AM PST by FresnoDA

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 221 next last
To: Bigg Red
As abhorent has I find the idea, we know from previous cases that those things happen. Don't know if you saw the thread yesterday about the 'Perv' mother who was taking pictures of her little girls engaged in sex acts.

These people should never have the word 'parent' applied to them. Even wild animals defend their young.

101 posted on 02/25/2002 1:29:24 PM PST by scholar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

Comment #102 Removed by Moderator

To: Luis Gonzalez
It doesn't seem like the police are that much interested in searching for her either, Luis.

The search is still going on and I honestly don't know how many FReepers are searching in California.

I know we ARE searching for an answer on this forum and other forums as to how this terrible crime came to be.

Peace...sw

103 posted on 02/25/2002 1:33:03 PM PST by spectre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
Could we please maintain some degree of civility here?
104 posted on 02/25/2002 1:38:24 PM PST by scholar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

Comment #105 Removed by Moderator

To: spectre
I can tell you how this crime came to be...some sick idiot snuck into someone's home and kidnapped their child.

It happens way too often...even to people who lead perfect lives.

106 posted on 02/25/2002 1:42:07 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 103 | View Replies]

To: scholar
You mean, don't point out that this FresnoDA has been spamming a political activism forum with unsubstantiated rumours about this case and calling them "facts"?
107 posted on 02/25/2002 1:43:53 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 104 | View Replies]

To: Mrs.Liberty
Assume that the reported evidence is true: (1) the little girl's DNA is found in the Westerfield RV and on a dry cleaned shirt belonging to Westerfield, (2) some evidence of Westerfield (hair or fingerprint) is found in the little girl's bedroom. Assume further that Westerfield denied ever being in the VD home or having the little girl in the RV. Assume no body is found.

What do you do with this? Would you convict a man -- any man -- of kidnapping, let alone murder on that evidence. I'm an old prosecutor (who has never defended a crook) and yet that gives me pause.

There are at least 3 scenarios possible:

1. Westerfield breaks in while Mrs. VD is out partying and Mr. VD is [unknown], kidnaps girl, takes her to RV, kills her, then leaves her in RV and goes to bar to socialize with Mrs. VD and friends to establish alibi. Then after bar, he drives to desert and disposes of body. Problems: Where is Mr. VD? Westerfield would have to be REAL cool customer to commit such a murder and go off to bar, not knowing when little girl might be discovered missing.

2. Westerfield goes to bar and socializes with Mrs. VD and learns of forthcoming 'adult party'. Realizing that this means that VD's and their 'guests' will be incommunicado in the garage, Westerfield enters house, takes girl, etc etc. May explain why Mrs VD "can't remember" dancing with Westerfield, while he does. Why didn't parents lock house and turn on burglar alarm if they knew (as they did under this scenario) that they would be "occupied" in the garage? Again would require Westerfield to have the nerves of a cat burglar to pull it off (going into small house with 6 adults in proximity).

3. Westerfield is either at adult party with Mr and Mrs or is called to it after they (or guests or some combination) kill (perhaps accidentally) little girl and Westerfield agrees to dispose of body. This would make Westerfield an accessory after the fact but put him in difficult spot without some corroboration of parents' involvement. This would explain all physical evidence but not make Westerfield guilty of murder. Charge could be designed to turn Westerfield. This also explains the bizarrely aloof behavior of Mr and Mrs.

One thing (one thing?) we don't know (or at least I haven't seen) is much about timing, i.e. what time does Westerfield arrive at state park versus when Mrs. leaves the bar with 4 "friends". None of these scenarios are satisfying to me and there are none I would want to try and make a murder conviction on -- without more.

One thing for sure this case will take the OJ slot for the foreseeable future.

108 posted on 02/25/2002 1:45:34 PM PST by winstonchurchill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
You are free to point out anything that you wish. But calling people liars and turning this thread into a vendetta is not what this forum is about.
109 posted on 02/25/2002 1:49:18 PM PST by scholar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies]

To: Amore; spectre
John Walsh's son's head was found a few hundred yards from my parent's home in Vero Beach where I lived back then, a few hundred yards from the yard where my then seven year-old brother played every afternoon.

I searched for Danny Rice for two days in SW Miami until the news of his dismembered body being found in pails reached us on the radio.

People who do these things to little kids are sick, and deserve to die.

The person with whom I am fighting on this thread is very succesfully drawing attention away from the murderer, and focusing it on the parents, holding them to blame.

Don't you wonder what his motive is?

110 posted on 02/25/2002 1:54:05 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 88 | View Replies]

Comment #111 Removed by Moderator

To: winstonchurchill
Very good.

sw

112 posted on 02/25/2002 1:56:28 PM PST by spectre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: Hillary's Lovely Legs
The most recent case of not having a body that I recall was a case in Newport Beach, CA. The husband rented a power boat with his wife. While at sea, he killed her and claimed she was water boarding and got knocked off the board by a rogue wave. The body was never found. He was convicted of murder mainly on testamony from a subsequent girl friend who testified that he told her of the crime. The was also the case many years ago of the Billionaire Boys Club. The club head was convicted of murder withoug any body being found.
113 posted on 02/25/2002 1:59:00 PM PST by CdMGuy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
The person with whom I am fighting on this thread is very succesfully drawing attention away from the murderer, and focusing it on the parents, holding them to blame.

I haven't followed ever word of your "fight" but the parents should be the focus of some attention. There is a huge difference between losing track of a kid in a mall, and leaving a seven year old unsupervised for most of a day. It's not the lifestyle itself, but the consequenses of putting self interest above any reasonable definition of parenting.

114 posted on 02/25/2002 2:01:22 PM PST by js1138
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 110 | View Replies]

To: winstonchurchill
"Ditto" your observation.
115 posted on 02/25/2002 2:01:31 PM PST by lawdog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
Not any more than I wonder what yours is.

While I do believe Westerfield is guilty, I do think the parents' negligence helped to make her abduction possible.

116 posted on 02/25/2002 2:01:55 PM PST by Amore
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 110 | View Replies]

To: winstonchurchill
I also sent you a "private" mail.
117 posted on 02/25/2002 2:02:46 PM PST by lawdog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: CdMGuy
That case is similar to the infamous 1997 case in Wilmington Delaware, where no body was recovered but the ice chest the woman's body was dumped overboard in was -- although it contained no physical evidence, it mathced the witnesses' description. THE LEAST LIKELY SOURCES LEAD TO AN ARREST IN THE CASE OF A MISSING GOVERNOR'S AIDE
It's said that the perfect crime--from start to finish--can be committed by only one person. Get others involved, the reasoning goes, and sooner or later someone will crack. Perhaps Thomas Capano, in his privileged sphere, was unaware of that underworld wisdom. Perhaps his hubris got in the way. Perhaps he never thought his own family would turn on him.

Capano, 48, a once prominent attorney and power broker in the insular world of Delaware politics, was arrested last week in Wilmington and charged with first-degree murder, capping a 17-month investigation into the disappearance of Anne Marie Fahey, 30, the scheduling secretary for Governor Thomas Carper. Investigators have long asserted that Capano, the last to see Fahey when they dined together on June 27, 1996, killed her in a rage when she tried to end their secret three-year affair. But it was not until last week, when Capano's younger brothers Louis and Gerard provided new information, that there was enough ammunition to level charges in the case.


118 posted on 02/25/2002 2:07:48 PM PST by bvw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 113 | View Replies]

To: winstonchurchill
I have been wondering about your scenario #3 myself. It is not that far-fetched.
119 posted on 02/25/2002 2:09:18 PM PST by MizSterious
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 108 | View Replies]

To: Luis Gonzalez
"Don't you wonder what his motive is?"

I don't think it's to draw us away from Westerfield, rather to draw attention to unusual circumstances and conditions which might have contributed to the child being kidnapped while the parents were "clueless" the poor little girl wasn't sleeping in her bed. At least that is my motive.

Look how you are so passionately reacting to this. YOU say YOU would be out searching for her, and have done this for others in the past. I believe you. So then, how can you excuse the parents who as far as I know, have NOT joined ONE search party to look for Danielle? You would have...

sw

120 posted on 02/25/2002 2:11:27 PM PST by spectre
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 110 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 221 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson